| Christian Whitehead | |
| Nationality: | Australian |
| Other Names: | The Taxman |
| Occupation: | Game programmer |
| Employer: | Evening Star |
| Known For: | Developing Sonic the Hedgehog video games |
Christian Whitehead, also known as The Taxman,[1] is an Australian video game programmer and designer.[2] He is most recognized for his work creating updated ports of early games in Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog series, as well as being a lead developer of an original game in the series, Sonic Mania. In late 2018, Whitehead co-founded indie development studio Evening Star, which launched its first game, Penny's Big Breakaway, in early 2024.
In 2006, Whitehead worked as a freelance 3D animator with the company Kine Graffiti. Since 2009, he has focused on game development, developing various fangames based on the Sonic the Hedgehog series.[3] In 2009, Whitehead produced a "proof-of-concept" video of Sonic CD running on an iPhone using his own custom engine, the "Retro Engine".[4] [5] In an interview with Steven O'Donnell of , Whitehead proclaims that he spent "about a year or so" convincing Sega to let him work on the Sonic CD port. In 2009, a video regarding Sonic CD from Whitehead was taken down, leading Eurogamer to report that Whitehead possibly faced a cease and desist letter from Sega, which Whitehead claimed was false. The port was released for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, iPhone and Android in 2011.[6] His remake was so successful that he, along with developer Simon "Stealth" Thomley of the studio Headcannon, would later be commissioned to remaster Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for mobile devices.
Although he, along with Headcannon, released a proof-of-concept video for a Sonic the Hedgehog 3 remaster in 2014, Sega did not greenlight the port.[7] In 2015, it was announced that Whitehead would be involved in his first non-Sonic game, Freedom Planet 2.[8] In 2017, Whitehead, in collaboration with Headcannon and PagodaWest Games, developed and released their own original title in the Sonic series, titled Sonic Mania.[9] [10] In 2018, Sonic Mania was re-released as Sonic Mania Plus, which added additional content to the original game. Sonic Mania Plus was developed by Whitehead, Headcannon, PagodaWest Games, and the now included Hyperkinetic Studios.[11] Whitehead also contributed to the development of Sonic Origins, providing a new version of the engine used in the remasters.[12]
In late 2018, Whitehead and other development members behind Sonic Mania founded their own studio Evening Star,[13] [14] where he serves as creative director and lead engine architect. In 2022, the studio signed a publishing deal with Private Division; their first title, Penny's Big Breakaway, was released in 2024.
| Year | Title | Collaborator(s) | Publisher | Platforms | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Retro Sonic | self-published | Windows, Dreamcast | ||
| 2008 | Sonic Nexus | Brad Flick and Hunter Bridges | self-published | Windows, Mac OS X | |
| 2011 | Sonic CD | BlitWorks (PC/Console port)[15] | Sega | Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, iOS, Android, Ouya, Windows, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV | |
| 2013 | Sonic the Hedgehog | Headcannon | Sega | iOS, Android, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV | |
| Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Headcannon | Sega | |||
| 2017 | Sonic Mania | Headcannon, PagodaWest Games, Hyperkinetic Studios (Plus update) and Tantalus Media (Switch port) | Sega | Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Windows | |
| 2022 | Sonic Origins | Headcannon and Sonic Team | Sega | ||
| Freedom Planet 2 | GalaxyTrail | GalaxyTrail | Windows, macOS, Linux | ||
| 2023 | Sonic Origins Plus | Headcannon and Sonic Team | Sega | Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Windows | |
| 2024 | Penny's Big Breakaway | Evening Star | Private Division | Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows |